The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to postpyloric feeding and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to in vivo guidance of a feeding tube for postpyloric feeding.
According to both European and American guidelines for enteral and parenteral nutrition, enteral feeding is the preferred method of nutritional support in patients who have a functioning gastrointestinal (GI) tract but cannot maintain an adequate oral intake. Enteral nutrition prevents GI mucosal atrophy, keeps intestinal integrity and prevents bacterial translocation from the GI lumen to the rest of the body, by maintaining normal permeability of the GI mucosal barrier. In addition, it is less expensive and has fewer complications than parenteral nutrition. The enteral route traditionally delivered nutrition directly into the stomach via a nasogastric tube or gastrostomy (prepyloric feeding).
Over the past few decades, postpyloric feeding has been developed and adopted by nutritional teams for enteral feeding. The indications for this kind of feeding are increasing and include a variety of clinical conditions, such as gastroparesis, acute pancreatitis, gastric outlet stenosis, hyperemesis (including gravida), recurrent aspiration, tracheoesophageal fistula and stenosis in gastroenterostomy. A wide variety of postpyloric nutrition devices are currently available, including different types of nasoduodenal and nasojejunal tubes and jejunostomies, see Eva Niv, at. el. Post-pyloric feeding, World J Gastroenterol. 2009 Mar. 21; 15(11): 1281-1288, Published online 2009 Mar. 21. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.1281.